| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Access to Church Street/The Mall | |
| Posted by: | Jim Currie | |
| Date/Time: | 07/08/24 14:59:00 |
| I want to respond to many of the views which have been expressed on this thread. I live close to Hogarth Roundabout but not in the Church Street/Chiswick Mall area. I am a regular vehicle user of the roundabout. I abhor irresponsible drivers. I abhor irresponsible cyclists. I abhor irresponsible pedestrians. The thread started with John Todd advising about the drop-in sessions for the proposals. Two sessions had been arranged by TfL on 10th and 20th August right in the middle of school holidays. Two further dates were arranged "following local intervention". It appears reasonable to me to add more dates during the holiday period. Yes, there will be added costs but surely they are acceptable. I do not regard the number of sessions as "umpteen". The addition of a new inside lane on the A4 approaching the roundabout is in itself not a major issue. However, from the point where the petrol station used to be on the left just before Church Street, there is very little (insufficient even?) room to provide that fourth lane with the pavement being so close. The stretch of road on the roundabout immediately next to the steps down to the pedestrian underpass by the George & Devonshire is currently three lanes. I will have to be convinced that there is a safe way to convert that from three to four lanes. The closure of Church Street will cause problems, not just for residents/businesses down there. The solution that all vehicles requiring access, including delivery vehicles and funeral vehicles (often stretch limos) make a hairpin turn by Chiswick Square, is on the verge of laughable. Many of the vehicles will only be able to negotiate that turn by means of a three point turn. That means they will be reversing into the oncoming traffic coming into Burlington Lane. Safe? Convince me. With regard to the beer delivery lorry for the pub, which is normally a huge vehicle, they will not bother with the hairpin turn. They will just drive level with Chiswick Square then reverse back down Burlington Lane against oncoming traffic to the front of the pub. Safe? Convince me. Vehicles exiting Church Street will be directed to go up Burlington Lane past the end of the flyover then do a U-turn against oncoming traffic to get back to the roundabout. That stretch of Burlington Lane to the Hogarth Roundabout is congested most of the day due to the LTN arrangements for Staveley and Hartington Roads. Safe? Convince me. I applaud any measures which increase safety for road users. However, the proposals to (a) squeeze four lanes into the same space that currently needs three lanes; (b) require vehicles, many of them large, to negotiate a very tight hairpin bend; and (c) direct traffic to U-turn against busy on-coming traffic, will worsen road safety. |